The methods of biorobotics

Biorobotics is a form of ‘hard’ Artificial Life research, as it involves experimentation on robotic models of living organisms. Rational justification of biorobotic experiments requires a careful analysis of their methodological structure. Philosophy of science has much to offer for this purpose. Here it is suggested that interactive branches of biorobotics adopt a methodology which radically departs from the “understanding by building” approach as traditionally conceived. It is also observed that some biorobotic studies aim neither at explaining nor at predicting phenomena, but at creating them in Hacking's sense. Finally, it is suggested that biorobotic studies vary in their scope, some of them being limited to the analysis of animal-robot interaction, others reaching conclusion on animal-animal interaction. These considerations are brought to bear on the complexities involved in the justification of biorobotics.